Gas heater



Oct. 2, 1928.

A. H. WOLFF GAS HEATER M 9%; ATTORNEY,

Filed July 26, 1923 Patented Oct. 2, 1928.. v

UNITED stares AARON'H. woman, on NEW Yon-nit. Y.,:

GAS HEAT ER.

Application filed July 26,

My invention relates to gas heaters, and more particularly to a heater of the type in which refractory elements are made incandescent by the direction ofra Bunsen burner flame against same.

In'heaters of this type, the heat of the flame is intense, and it is necessary to provide an effective insulation between the refractory elements or radiants and the metal portion of the heater, the usual practice being to form a combustion chamber about the radiants by means of a suitably formed fire brick.

Heaters of this type are well known in the art, my invention relating more particularly to these structural characteristics by which any unconsumed gas, and products of combust-ion, may beconveyed from adjacent the combustion chamber so as to prevent any pos- 1 sibility of the escape ofsuch gases to within a room. This construction at the same time permits the heater to be positioned within a room having no fireplace, and be connected with a flue for conducting such gases directly from the combustion chamber to a flue. I am thus enabled to dispense with the usual and well known type of hood overhanging the combustion chamber a'tthe front of the heater,.wh ich hood has the two-fold disadvantage ofinterfering with the field of vision from above. the heater and involving an unsightly adjunct to the heaterv which'precludes the employment of artistic designs in the heater casing. V

In a heater embodying my invention, 1 se-' cure a strong draft adjacent the top of the radiants, which will effectively removeall gases from within the combustion chamber without in any way interfering with the effective application of the flames from the burners to the radiants for bringing them to incandescence. The construction-is also such that'an effective cooling circulation is maintained between the back wall of the combus-' tio-n chamber and the back of the heater. casing so as to avoid likelihood of radiant heat from the wall of the'combustion chamber ignitingany object against which the heater may be set. This cooling circulation also tends to assist in maintaining an effective suction or draft for withdrawing the gases from within the combustion chamber and in preventing overheating of the smoke pipe connecting the heater with a fiue inthe building in which it isused.

The heater of my-invention contemplates the employment of radian-ts so constructed as 1923. SeriaLNo; 6535884;

to avoid the forward deflection of thei'prodwardly from within theradiants to the passages leadingto the flue chamber rearwardly of the back wall of thecombustion chamber. I

The invention consists primarily in a gas heater embodying therein a casing having an opening in the front wallthereof,-combustion chamber forming means having a forwardly directedtop and a back wall-rearwardly of said opening, a pluralityof burners, opening into the bottom of said combustion;chamber,

a radiant element above each 'of saidburners and extending adjacent the top' of said combustion chamber, and aback plate for-said casingspaced sutficiently away from the back wall of said combustion chamber forming meansto form a fluechamber rearwardly of said combustion chamber, said back plate having an opening through the back wall thereof adapted to receive a flue pipe, and f said combustion chamber forming means having an opening therethrougladjacent the top of each radiant element whereby gaseswill flow from said combustion-chamber, and

through said flue chamber and the opening therein; and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts asare hereinafter-set forth anddescribed, and more particularly pointed out in the -ola-i-ms hereto appended.

' Referring to the drawings,

opening is a corrugated burnished plate 0 for reflec'ing light rays from the radiant or refractory el ments. I

Rearwardly of the plate 0 is a partition 61 forminga support for a sequence of burners e of a construction heretofore employed by me in heaters ofthegenera-l type to -which this' invention relates, the construction of whichJ-burners being old and well knownin is a front perspectivey-iew of a-heater is a detail view-from the back of one the art, requires no detailed description beyond that 1t is of a type producing a long blue flame, being of the general type of Bunsen burners, but a special embodiment thereof. H Extending substantially parallel with the partitiond for a short distance rearwardly' of the top of the opening 72, is a substantially horizontal plate a, the function of which is to form part of the top of the heater casing referred to hereinafter.

The combustion chamber is formed of a fire brick) having forwardly directed side wings f and an overhanging forwardly directed top 7, Thefire brick f rests upon the top of the partition d with the back Wall thereof rearwardly' of the burners e, the side walls thereof engaging the edges about the opening 6 and the top thereof engaging the plate a, a construction which will prevent accidental'toppling of this brick rearwardly of the casing, since its four edges are closely confined-by diiferent portions oft-he heater casing. To prevent the brick being forced rearwardly of the casing, I provide a flange or bracket 9 securedto the partition cl, and if vdesired a top flange or bracket g secured to thevplate a also be employed, although this is non-essential, since the engagement of the top of the brick with the plate a will prevent any movement of the top of the brick inwardly of the casing. V

Therefractory elements or radiants shown at it rest'upon the partition (Z within the side wings f and overhanging top f these radiants having a vertically extending central passage therein, with suitable openings to permit air to enter the space within the radiants, and at the same time form strips of small bulk so that'the gas flame may readily bring same tothe desired state of incandescen'ce. The general construction of these radiants is old and well known in this art, the construction, however, being modified to provide an upwardly presented opening 72, adjacent the top of the radiants, and

an opening 71/2 extending therethrough and communicating with an opening 2' extending through the back wall of the fire brick f and adjacent the topthereof. By this construction any unconsunied gases and the products of combustion, flowing upwardly through and about theradiants, will pass through the opening e' to the rear of the fire brick into a flue chamber formed rearwardly of said brick by means of theback plate a of the heater cas ng. r r

' The plate a has an opening therethrough and the deflecting top a of the casing a,

and has a nipple a extending rearwardly of I the plate a to facilitate the attachment of a stove pipe with the heater. 7

The back plate a is spaced rearwardly of the fire brick f for a sufficient distance to afford a flue-chamber of the desired capacity, and to at the same time position this plate a sullicient distance from the wall'of the fire brick .to minimize likelihood of overheating this plate to an extent which mi 'htresult in the ignition of any article with which the plate may come in contact. As a still further preventive of likelihood of starting a the as a result of overheating of the back plate, I provide the partltlon d w1th a plurality of openings cZto permit "2111 to fie. from below the said partition'upwardly through the flue chamber between the back wall of the file brick and the back plate a to its outlet opening within the nipple a The side win s 7" of the tire brick f extend forwardly to a sufficient extent to bring each radiant inits entirety within the combustion chamber, and to effectively prevent the escape of gases forwardly of the combustion chamher. The radiants it are of a length substantially equalling the height of the combustionchamber.

The operation of the herein described heater is substantially as follows When, assembling the heater, the fire brick f is inserted through the opening 6 until the back thereof engages the flanges or brackets g, and the brackets g whenjsuch are used,

the overhanging top f 'having azfairlyclose fit with the plate a" and the bottomof the back, and the side wings f of the brick resting firmly upon the partition (Z. v

The opening 2' is preferably formed close to the overhanging top P so that gases rising against this top will be deflected through this opening into. the flue chamber between the lire brick f and the back plate a V Since when the opening a at the nipple is connected with a flue, there will be a natural draft, a constant circulation of air will be maintained through the 'flue chamber both through the openings d in the partition d and above the various radiants 71, through the opening 2' in the fire brick f. v V

When the various burners e are lighted, the products of combustion and any unconsumed gases will be drawn through the opening 2' particularly in the absence of'a closed top to I the radiant and the presence ofupwardly and rearwardly presented openings h and 72 at the top thereof. As stated above, the overhanging top f will also serve to deflect any of the rising heated gases toward the opening e' so as to prevent the escape of any ofsuch gases through the open front of the combustion chamber to within a room.

The capacity of'the opening at thenipple v herein described,the arrangement is such as,

reseese a isprop'ortionedto that of, the various open-' so 7 as to secure an ings i'and openings d efif'ective draft.

The inclined top plate a and the position ing of the opening at the nipple a above the openings ieither inpart or In its entirety,

will require upward flow oiithe heated gases when passing from the openings 2' to the opening-at the nipplea i I The admixture of theopenings cl and the heated gases passing through the openings 'iwill have theeltect ofpreventing, overheating of the portions of the top of thecasing a rearwardly of the lire brick f and the continual flow of thiscool air will serve to effectively prevent heat radiated fromvthe back of the fire brick f, bringing the back platen? of theheater casing to a t'e1nper-' ature suliiciently high to introduceany fire hazard from this source, in the useof the heaten The overhanging top, and side wings'fof the fire brick will protect the side avalls ofthe casing about said fire brick t0- preventoverheating at such points and also of the top plate a. The use of the overhang ing top f is primarily for the purposemerely of protecting, and preventing the destruction of the finishofisthe top plates, and it isapparent that other means of elfectingithis re.- sult may be employed, if so, desired, althoughthe employment of this means in the fire brick is an economical a-nd'efiectiv'ewayof {LC/C0111? plishing the desired result. 7 r f.

The heater of my invention is designed for use in localities where it is required,,by reason of the quality of the gas supply,ito provide a.

flueconnectionto carry off injurious fumes resulting largely from incompletecombustion ofthe, gases. e V I 1 Itwill be noted that vwith the construction to effectively conduct such gases from-within the combustion chamber at a point which will not interfere with the action of the flame upon the material of the radiants, and intact in amannerwhich will increase the efiectiveness of this flame asa resultot the-presence of a draft across the top of the radiants, since i this draft will tend to elongate the flame and increase the range of contact with the dinerent small-strips of SZLlCllitdlfll'ltS.

It is, not; my intention to limit the inventionto the PIQClSE} details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings. Ttis apparent that while {have shown a sequence of openings z' through the fire brick,this arrangement is largely a matter of convenience and for 1 securing V thedesired additional strength at this point of" the fire brick; It,

has the advantage, however, of concentrating the draftabove each radiant,altliough if it is desired to sacrifice this advantage, the ar= rangement shown'need not be followed.

Themaner of mounting the radiants' in; the

combustion chamber upon the partition d is;

cool air drawn through old andiwe ll known in this art, and forms no part of my present invent-ion. v

7 Having described the invention, what I claim asnew and desire tohave protected by Letters Patent, isz I 1. A'gas heater embodying therein acasing having ailopening in the front thereof-,com-

bustion chamber formingfmeans havinga: forwardlydirected top,and a baclrwall rearwardly oi? said opening,-a plurality of burn-' ers, opening into .the bottom of said. combust-lo'n'chamber, a-radiant element above each,

of said burners and extending adjacent the top of said combustion chamber, and aback plate; for said casing spaced su-fiieiently away from the back wall of said combu-stion chamber-forming means to i ormaflue chamber rearwardly of said combustion. chamber,

said back'plate' having an opening therethrough adapted to receive a line pipe, and.v said, combustion chamber forming means hav-' ing an opening through the back Wallthereof adjacent the top of each radiant element-I whereby. gases will flow from said combustion chamber, andthrough saidfiue chamber and the opening therein. g

2. "A gas heater embodying therein-a casing having an opening in the. front thereof and a plate above said opening, afire brickwithin said opening having side wings, a back, wall and a forwardly directed top belowsaidplate adjacent the top thereof, whereby acoinbus tion chamber is formed lrearwardly" of .sai-d i opening, plurality. 'oii burners, opening. into the bottomaof said combustion chamb'ena chant-element a-boveeach of said burners'and:

. said ba-ck'wallhaving openings therethroug'h I extending adjacent the topo'f said-combustion I chamber and an opening through the back wardly of said opening, a fire'briek withinsupported by'saidjcasing-belowand-i arsaid opening an d'betwe'en saidjplat e and said v v partition, 'saidfirebriclrhaving side wings, v a back wall and a forwardly directed top, said back wa'llhavin'g 'openings throughthe back wall adjacentthe top thereo-flwvhereby combustion chamber is torm'ed rearvVardIying into the bottom of said combustion cha -m ber, a radiant element above each of said said combustion chamberand; an opening',

.through. n backwall; er- Saia fire bri k, and: 15*

of saidopening, ap'lurality of burners, openburners and extending adjacentthe topoi combustion chamber,and through said flue chamber and the opening therein.

s '4. A gas heater'embodying therein a casing havingan opening inthe-front thereof and a plateabove' said opening, a fire brick having side wings and an'overhanging top within said openingand below said plate and having op'enings'through theback wall adjacent the overhanging top thereof, whereby a combuse 'tiOnchamberiS formed rearwardly of said opening, a plurality of burners, opening into thebottom Offitld' coinbustlon chamber, a radiant element above each of said burners and extending adjacent the top of'said combustion chamber and adjacent an opening through said back wall, and a back plate for said casing spaced sufiicie'ntlyaway from the rear .wallof said firebrick to form a flue chamber rearwardly of said combustion vchamber, said back plate. having an'opening therethrough adapted to recei-ve a flue pipe, wherebygases will flow from said combustion chamber, and through said flue chamber and the opening therein, said flue opening having a capacity" equaling the aggregate capacities of the openings through said back wall.

5. A gas heater embodying therein a casing having anfopening in the front thereof and a platefabove said opening, a partition supported by said casing below and rearwardly of said"opening-,-,a fire brick within saidopening and between said'plate and said partition,

said fire brick having side wings, a forwardly directed top, and a rear wallhavin'g openings therethrough adj acentthe top thereof, whereby a combustion chamber? isformed rearwardly of said opening, a plurality of burners opening into the bottom of said combustion chamber, a radiant element. above each of said burners and extending adjacent the top of said combustion chamber adjacent an opening through the rear wall of, said fire brick,:an d aback plate for said casing spaced sufiiciently away from the rear wall: of said fire brick to form a flue chamber rearwardly of said combustion chamber, said back plate having an opening therethrough adapted to receive a flue p pe, whereby gases will flow' from saidcombustion chamber, and through said flue chamber andthe opening therein, sa d partltlon having an opening therea through communicating with saidfiue chamber, whereby a cooling circulation-of air is 1 ing having an. opening inthe front thereof, a

maintained between the rear wall of saidlfire brick and said backplat-e. j

. 6. A gas heater embodying therein a casplate above said: openingandyan: upwardly and rearwardly inclined @deflector plate, a

firebri'ckwithin'said'opening and below said -plate,,havmg sldewmgs, a forwardly (llrected top, and a rear wall having openings 'backplate for said casing spaced'sufli'ciently away from the'rear wallof said fire brick' to; form a flue chamber rearwardly'of said combustion chamber and said deflector, plate, said back plate having an opening therethrough adapted to receive a flue pipe positioned ad'- jacent said deflector pla-te-andabove the openings through the back wall of said fire brick, whereby gases will flow'from said combustion chamber andthrough said flue chamber and the openingtherein. v 7. A gas heater embodying thereina casing having an opening in the front thereof, a plate above said opening and an upwardly and re'arwardly inclined deflector plate, a partition supported by said casing below and rearwardlyof'said opening, a fire brick having side wings, a rear wall, and an overhangingtop within said opening andbetween said plate and said partition, wherebyacombustion chamber is formed rearwardly of said openingya pluralitv'of burners,-opening into the'bottom of said combustion chamber, a radiant elementhaving anopen'topand an opening'through the back wall adjacent the top thereof, positioned aboveieach of said burners and extending adjacent-the top of said combustion chamber, therear Wall of said fire brick having openings therethrough adjacent said'overhangingtop, one of said openings being positioned-above each of said radiant elements, and a back plate for said casing spacedsufiicientlyaway from the rear wall of said fire brick to form a flue chamber rearwardly' of said combustion "chamber and said deflectorplate, and. said back plate having an opening therethroughv adapted to receive a flue pipe positioned'adjacent said deflector plate and above theopenings through the rear wall of said fire brick, whereby gases will flow' from said combustion chamber and" through said flue chamber and the opening therein. 'J

8. gas heater embodying therein'a casing having an opening in the frontthereof, a plate above said opening and an upwardly and rearwardly'inclined deflector plate, a.

partition supported by said casing below and rearwardly of said opening, a fire'brick having side wings, a rear wall, and an overhang ing top within said opening and between said plate andsaid partition, whereby a combustion chamber is formed rearwardly of said opening, a plurality of burners,opening into the bottom of said combustion chamber, a radiant element having an open top and an opening through the back'wall adjacent the top thereof, positioned above each of said burners and extending adjacent the top of said combustion chamber, the rear wall of said fire brick having openings therethrough adjacent said overhangingtop, one of said openings being positioned above each of said radiant elements, and a back plate for said casing spaced sufiiciently' away from the rear Wall of said fire brick to form a flue chamber rear- Wardly of said combustion chamber and said flue pipe positioned adjacent said deflector plate and above the openingsthrough the rear Wall of said flre brick, whereby gases will 7 flow from said combustion chamber, and through said flue chamber and the opening therein, and said partition having an opening therethrough communicating With said flue chamber, whereby a'coolingcirculation of air is maintained between the rear Wall of said fire brick and said back plate. a

9. 'In a gas heater, a combustion chamber forming fire brick including therein for- Wardly extending side Wings, a rear Wall, and a forwardly overhanging top, and having a series of small openings adaptedto register with openings through the back Wall of radi ant elements used'in conjunction With said fire brick through the rear Wall thereofbelow said overhanging top.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature, this 19th day of July, 1923.

' AARON H. WOLFF. 

